Are we nearly there yet?

[nineveh_uk]

I enjoy driving, in terms of a physical activity that allows one to exercise skill.* However I also find it really quite boring, especially on the motorway. I address this by breaking it into fractions. 6 miles? Ooh, I'm 1/20 of the way to antisoppist's (the start being the slowest portion). And so on, traveling on my way until it feels like I'm on the home straight. As I drove to my uncle's on Saturday, I found myself considering whether this was common or just me.

So, does anyone else do this?

*Not a huge amount of skill in my case, but it is still interesting to do.

Comments

[yhlee]

I don't drive, but I definitely do the fraction thing. I also remember page numbers (when I do) using prime factorization. :p

[nineveh_uk]

I will admit that just remembering the number sounds easier!

[antisoppist]

I do not do that because I have no idea how many miles the journey is and it would be too much fractions.

I do, however, calculate amount of time left when I pass a sign saying how many miles it is to whatever place and think it will be half an hour/an hour/5 hours until I get there if I am driving at speed x or so many hours if I am driving at speed y.

So it seems I don't think in miles but need to convert them into time.

Boredom depends on the motorway. The M5 has sufficient landmarks to make it interesting but the M4 makes me want to scream. And there's a bit of the A303 between Ilminster and Yeovil that feels really horrible and claustrophobic.

[nineveh_uk]

The M4 is so, so boring. Even the M1 is more interesting, and that's saying something.

I do the time calculation, too. Basically, I spend my entire journey in a state of "are we nearly there yet".

[carbonel]

I also find driving boring, but my solution is audiobooks. If I'm listening to something engrossing, the miles go by much more pleasantly. But sometimes I will also ration myself to a piece of candy (usually sour or cinnamon) every five miles as my thing to look forward to.

[nineveh_uk]

I don't do audiobooks, but I do listen to music or the radio. Singing along to something definitely helps the miles pass. As do sweets.